


Waking Dream

by Ray_Writes



Series: Tumblr Prompts [47]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-06
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-23 11:06:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17682257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ray_Writes/pseuds/Ray_Writes
Summary: Sometimes when she reaches across the bed, he isn't there.





	Waking Dream

**Author's Note:**

> This was an anonymous prompt on tumblr with the theme "blame me". I tried to strike a balance between angst and hurt/comfort, so hopefully people like it. Enjoy!

Sometimes when she reaches across the bed, he isn’t there.

Laurel’s breath can’t help quickening as she sits up, fully alert in seconds. Old fears, old habits.

Usually she spots him standing silhouetted in the window; sometimes sitting on the couch out in the sitting room; very rarely, perched on the fire escape or the roof. Always, she goes to him.

“Ollie…”

Tonight, he’s at the window again. Now that she has announced her presence, she wraps her arms around him, turning her face and resting her cheek in the dip between his shoulder blades.

They don’t always talk. Sometimes, this is enough, and he will eventually allow himself to be drawn back to bed. Other times, like now, he has things on his mind.

“It’s hard not to think I’m dreaming. After everything that’s been said and done between us, all the pain I’ve caused. I don’t know how you ever forgave me, much less let me back into your life like this.”

She shrugs. “It’s love, Oliver. It doesn’t have a why or how.”

“Every bad thing that’s ever happened to you has been my fault.”

“Well, if you’re going to speak in those broad of terms, most of the good things have been because of you, too.”

He turns in her embrace, eyebrows raised, doubtful.

“Well, without you I wouldn’t have the best sister-in-law a girl could ask for,” she begins. “I wouldn’t know any of our friends. The team, everyone at STAR Labs, Mari, Nyssa, the list is endless. And I wouldn’t have become the Black Canary.”

“You became the Black Canary in spite of me,” he admits with some shame.

“Yeah, but you had to be there to spite.”

Oliver’s head ducks, but she can see the smile there that he wasn’t able to stop. Laurel smiles back.

“Look, there have been a lot of things we have blamed each other for, gotten furious over, and nearly ended our relationship altogether. But we’re still here. And maybe that is the dream.” She leans in a little closer until she can meet his lowered gaze. “But if it is, I promise not to wake up if you don’t.”

The last creases of worry leave his brow, and he tilts forward to press his lips to her temple. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Now let’s get some sleep.”

However long it takes, they always end up back where they were; her head resting on his chest to reassure herself of his presence, his arm curled around her to keep her close, and sharing in the remainder of a quiet night’s rest.


End file.
